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For non initiates, Ghana
Must Go is euphemism describing all manner of underhand
activities by a politician most particularly bribe taking or
giving. Originally Ghana Must Go was a chequered raffia bag
used by Ghanaian refugees to pack their belongings in the
80s as they fled Nigeria in the wake of military coup. Due
to hardship, Ghanaians came to Nigeria in quest of better
economic fortunes. Things were so hard for these refugees
that all their belongings could comfortably enter on
bag-Ghana Must Go.
Ghana Must Go entered the political lexicon of Nigeria under
the Obasanjo’s administration (1999-2007). During this era,
the raffia bag was used to stuff money meant to buy
delegates at any given party’s convention. This common
knowledge was denied by all involved until it was revealed
at the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly that the
presidency had brought money in Ghana Must Go bags to
influence the undemocratic removal of the leadership of the
House.
The use of Ghana Must Go became expedient because the
democratic structures are not in place and the hunger in the
land knows no definition. The Nigerian electorate fully
aware that there is no democratic structure to secure
dividends of democracy for him goes for the Ghana Must Go
from a politician in exchange for his vote. He does not have
patience for the non-arrival of the pre-election promises;
after all, a breast in mouth is worth more than two in the
bra.
To arrest this increasing size of Ghana Must Go, all those
complaining should make sure that political structures are
strengthened. This strengthening must start from the intra
party activities. Every political party should develop party
discipline and implement it to the letter. This party
discipline must be anchored on a people oriented manifesto
of which any erring member would be disciplined in line with
the constitution of the party. When this is done, the
electorates would have confidence that there is a certain
level of behaviour expected from any politician elected on
the platform of Party A or B.
Another means of abolishing Ghana Must Go, is constant
education of the electorate. This education should not be
left for only 4 months to election or during the Election
tribunal when allegations of bribe are pleaded as grounds to
nullify election. The electorate must be made to understand
that exchanging their voters’ card for Ghana Must Go robs
him the right to criticise or complain when the dividends of
democracy fail to arrive his constituency.
The ultimate way to deflate the size of Ghana Must Go, is to
make political offices unattractive. If this is done, no
politician except those with genuine intension to serve his
people would have an investor’s mentality towards election.
I dare suggest that elective offices should not be a full
time job. Elected officers, except the President, Governor,
Leaders of the National /State Assembly, should only meet
when there is need and they should return to their full time
job. This will not only reduce the cost of running
government, it will also make the politician, especially the
lawmakers to have constant interaction with his constituency
rather than getting them employed by the government for 4
years secluded in Government quarters with minimal contact
with the electorates. It is this full employment by the
government that makes them to enact laws that one wonders
for whom it was meant for; whether the sponsor of the bill
actually lives in Nigeria.
Let no one tell me it is not so in advanced democracies.
These advanced democracies have structures which had been
developed over the years.
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Published
September 22nd, 2010
